“Phishing” refers to an act of a human or computer system that attempts to obtain sensitive information from unknowing victims. Phishers traditionally send an official-looking e-mail to a potential victim pretending to be part of the potential victim's bank or retail establishment. The email may request the potential victim to respond with sensitive information, or click on a website link to a location where the potential victim enters sensitive information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, passwords, birth dates, etc.
In recent years, phishers have turned to voice phishing, or “vishing,” to capitalize on potential victims through phone call requests. Voice phishers, or “vishers,” may send an e-mail message requesting the user to call a phone number, which triggers a voice response system that asks for the user's credit card number or other personal information. Vishers may also call unsuspecting victims directly and use a voice over IP (VoIP) system to mask the vishers' caller identity. As a result, legal authorities have difficulty monitoring and tracing voice phising activity and, in turn, have a challenge in notifying the public.